Synopsis of the School

photo of school

St Patrick’s Parish School has a rich history dating from the building of the original convent in 1884 through many changes to a modern, co-educational technologically smart school of today, catering for Kindergarten through to Year 10 in the township of Cooma.

Arriving in 1887, the Brigidine Sisters established St Thomas’ Primary School in the convent building, and were honoured by a visit from St Mother Mary MacKillop in 1899.

Known as Holy Cross Convent and then St Brigid’s Convent, the building was given the name Brigidine in 1933.

The first primary school was opened in 1927 and is now the nucleus of the Primary Campus of the school. In response to the surge in the local population with the introduction of the Snowy Scheme, Our Lady Help of Christians was opened in 1956. This school continued to function until 1977, when the primary schools were amalgamated.

Brigidine High School which has operated since 1922 was combined with the primary schools in 1981 and St Patrick’s Parish School, a central school, was established. The Infants Department was located at the Cooma North Campus until 2009, when new buildings on the Primary site were erected.

The Brigidine Sisters served the schools and the people of Cooma faithfully until the early years of the 21st century, the last teaching sisters leaving in the late 1980s.

Our school continues to build on the traditions and Christian values developed through the influence of the Brigidine Sisters. Its very name indicates a strong connection with the St Patrick’s Parish.

Our school’s motto is Strength in Gentleness and this is reflected in the traditions and culture found throughout the school community.